If you cast your ballot on Election Day, there’s a strong chance are you did it in a school or other public building. Schools and churches in the Mountain State are the most common locations for setting up polling places. And it’s been that way for a long time.

If you cast your ballot on Election Day, there’s a strong chance are you did it in a school or other public building. Schools and churches in the Mountain State are the most common locations for setting up polling places. And it’s been that way for a long time.

West Virginia voters will pick from among three candidates — Republican J.B. McCuskey, Democrat Mary Ann Claytor and Libertarian Brenton Ricketts — when they cast their ballots for the office of state auditor Nov. 8.

West Virginia voters will pick from among three candidates — Republican J.B. McCuskey, Democrat Mary Ann Claytor and Libertarian Brenton Ricketts — when they cast their ballots for the office of state auditor Nov. 8.

The West Virginia Department of Agriculture is responsible for monitoring and regulating meat and poultry production in the state, monitoring and protecting crops and aspects of the state’s food supply, training farmers, promoting agriculture and coming up with new agricultural programs for the state.

The West Virginia Department of Agriculture is responsible for monitoring and regulating meat and poultry production in the state, monitoring and protecting crops and aspects of the state’s food supply, training farmers, promoting agriculture and coming up with new agricultural programs for the state.

The high school graduation rate in West Virginia continues to increase and is close to 90 percent, according to data released Oct. 25 by State Superintendent of Schools Michael Martirano.

The high school graduation rate in West Virginia continues to increase and is close to 90 percent, according to data released Oct. 25 by State Superintendent of Schools Michael Martirano.

West Virginia is home to another university.

Secretary of State Natalie Tennant on June 27 signed papers and filed a new charter that allowed Alderson-Broaddus College to become Alderson Broaddus University. And the change has been a long time coming.

"It began with the board of trustee retreat and through planning," Alderson Broaddus President Rick Creehan said. "Our board in April made the formal recommendation at their board meeting to move in this direction. From that point, it became a transition to the secretary of state's office to complete all the paperwork to make this day official."

Part of the name change also includes removing the hyphen.

Now that the change has been made official, the school can concentrate its efforts on expanding its recruitment into the international market.

The name change isn't the only new thing at the school. The construction of four new residence halls is underway, and the multi-use stadium will be used by its new football team. New classroom and laboratory space also is coming to the campus. More freshman students than ever before will enter the university this coming academic year, building on last year's record-breaking freshman class.

"We're so proud and so excited," Creehan said. "This is part of the momentum that's been generated on our campus over the past two years. As Secretary (of State Natalie) Tennant said, we're going to seize the moment and not allow it to slip."

Because the school changed its incorporated name, it had to file paperwork with Tennant's office. School officials had filed similar paperwork three previous times — in 1932, when Alderson Academy and Broaddus College consolidated to form Alderson-Broaddus College, and again in 1967 and 1976 when officials sought to make amendments.

Tennant said the move is important not only to Barbour County, but the state as a whole.

"For the state as a whole, it is so important," she said. "Each of our individual areas and locations and regions of the state strengthen the whole state.

"When we have strong colleges and universities across our state, it strengthens our communities and in turn strengthens our state," she added.